Indian Potato Industry Excellence Awards highlight leadership and innovation at Global Potato Summit 2025

One of the standout highlights of the first day of the Global Potato Summit 2025 was the Indian Potato Industry Excellence Awards, a platform created to honor leadership, innovation and impact across India’s potato value chain. 

The awards recognized exemplary contributions spanning seed development, processing, exports, mechanization and community-driven initiatives, reflecting the sector’s growing maturity and diversification. Held at the India Expo Mart Centre (IEML), Greater Noida, the ceremony gained added prestige with the presence of Jung Bahadur Sangha of Sangha Farm, Abhigyan Prakash of NDTV, and Vineeta Sudhanshu from APEDA. 

Beyond celebrating organizational achievements, the awards placed strong emphasis on the individuals behind these successes—industry leaders, innovators and farmers—underscoring the belief that meaningful transformation in the potato ecosystem is powered by people as much as by enterprises.
 

A Lifetime Dedicated to the Potato Sector

The evening’s most prestigious honor, the Lifetime Achievement Award, was conferred upon Mr. Sachidanand Madan, Convener of the Global Potato Summit and former Advisor at ITC Limited. Recognized for his decades-long contribution to policy shaping, industry integration and institutional leadership, Mr. Madan’s work has played a foundational role in strengthening India’s organized potato value chain.
 

Global Leadership in Potato Industry

The Global Leadership Award in Potato Processing Innovation was conferred upon Manohar Lal Agarwal, Chairman & Managing Director, Haldiram Snacks, in recognition of his visionary leadership and pioneering contribution to advancing potato-based processing in India. Under his stewardship, Haldiram has played a transformative role in scaling indigenous snack processing, driving product innovation, and setting benchmarks in quality, efficiency and consumer trust—both in domestic and international markets. 

The award was received on his behalf by Dr. A. K. Tyagi, Executive Director, Haldiram, who represented the organization at the ceremony. The recognition underscored Haldiram’s enduring impact on India’s processed food landscape and its role in elevating potato processing from a traditional snack segment to a globally competitive industry.

Suresh P. Mali, Director & Founder, Survir Agritech Pvt. Ltd. receiving Emerging Company of the Year Award

Leadership across Seed, Processing and Exports

Seed innovation took centre stage with Technico Agri Sciences Ltd. receiving the Potato Seed Industry Excellence Award, accepted by N. K. Jha, CEO. The company was also honored with the Community Impact & Rural Development Award, underlining its farmer-centric approach and commitment to inclusive growth. In processing, Balaji Wafers, led by Chandubhai Virani, received the Chips Industry Leadership Award, reflecting the brand’s dominance and innovation in India’s snack segment. 

Iscon Balaji Foods Pvt. Ltd., represented by Neel Kotak, Managing Director, was recognized with the Frozen Potato Products Leadership Award, while HyFun Foods Pvt. Ltd., under the leadership of Haresh Karamchandani, MD & Group CEO, received the Frozen Potato Products Export Pioneer Award, highlighting India’s rising global footprint in frozen potato exports. The Flakes Industry Pioneer Award was presented to Crown Flakes Pvt. Ltd., led by Sanjay Murarka and received by Avanti Murarka, acknowledging the company’s role in establishing potato flakes as a value-added processing segment in India.
 

Strengthening India’s Export and Variety Ecosystem

India’s growing strength in fresh potato exports was recognized through the Fresh Potato Export Excellence Award to M S International Pvt. Ltd., accepted by Maaz Suthar, Director, and the Fresh Potato Export Pioneer Award to S K Group, led by Sandeep Thakkar, Founder & Director. 

Innovation in varieties and seed development was celebrated with awards to Meijer Potato for Lady Rosetta, CPRI for Kufri Jyoti, and STET Holland for Santana, reflecting the increasing alignment of Indian cultivation with global processing and table requirements.
 

Technology, Mechanisation and the Human Touch

Technological advancement in cultivation was recognized with the Innovative Technology in Potato Cultivation Award to HyFarm, a unit of HyFun Foods led by Soundararadjane S, CEO, while Shaktiman–GRIMME Root Crop Solutions Pvt. Ltd. received the Potato Farm Mechanization Innovation & Leadership Award. 

Survir Agritech Pvt. Ltd., led by Suresh P Mali, was named Emerging Company of the Year, signaling the arrival of new-age agri-enterprises in the potato space. Women leaders were prominently recognized, with the Women in Potato Seed Excellence Award presented to Dr. Indira Laxman Dhume, General Manager (Seed Production), Mahindra HZPC, and the Women in Potato Processing Excellence Award conferred upon Bhavana Viswanath, Director, Kiremko Food Processing.
 

Farmers at the Heart of the Value Chain

Grounding the awards in grassroots excellence, Jitesh Patel of Gujarat was named Potato Farmer of the Year, while GreenFay Farm Foods, led by Fulchand Kachchhava, received the Farm-to-Fork Excellence Award. Together, these recognitions reaffirmed that sustainable growth of India’s potato industry begins and ends with empowered farmers.

S K Thakkar, Founder & Director, S K Group receiving Fresh Potato Export Pioneer Award

Potato Farmer Excellence Awards Steal the Spotlight on Day Two

The second day of the Conference featured a special and inspiring attraction—the Potato Farmer Excellence Awards, celebrating the vital role of progressive farmers in strengthening India’s potato value chain. The awards were presented to outstanding farmers nominated by reputed Indian potato industry players, recognising excellence in productivity, quality adoption, innovation and sustainable farming practices. 

The Potato Farmer Excellence Awards were conferred upon Shilpa Ben Dilip Bhai Patel, Rakesh Bhai Patel, Harjinder Sandhu, Bhavjit Singh, Arvinder Singh, Sukhvinder Singh, Ashok Patidar, Ashok Bhai Lakhu Bhai Patel, P. Singh Khosa, and Krishna Pandit. Potato Agronomy Excellence Award was conferred to Tanuj Pant from Technico Agri Sciences Pvt. Ltd. The ceremony highlighted the strong collaboration between farmers and industry, showcasing how on-ground innovation, improved seed adoption, mechanization and best agronomic practices are driving higher yields and better market integration. 

The recognition served as a powerful reminder that farmers remain at the heart of India’s growing and globally competitive potato ecosystem.

Award recipients gather during the Indian Potato Industry Excellence Awards at the Global Potato Summit 2025, recognising leadership and innovation across India’s potato value chain.